Shaping and Maintaining Your Bella Bonsai
Pruning is a fundamental technique for shaping Bella Bonsai and encouraging dense foliage. Structural pruning, done in spring or early summer, removes unwanted branches, establishes the basic tree form, and reduces overall size. Maintenance pruning, or pinching, involves trimming new shoots back to one or two leaves once they have grown six to eight leaves, promoting ramification and smaller leaf size.
Always use sharp, sterilized tools to make clean cuts and prevent disease. Ficus benjamina responds well to pruning by back-budding, producing new shoots on older wood, especially when healthy and vigorously growing.
Wiring allows for precise positioning of branches and the trunk, guiding the Bella Bonsai into its desired shape. Use aluminum or copper wire, appropriate for branch thickness, spiraling it at a 45-degree angle, ensuring it is snug but not overly tight. Check the wire regularly (every few weeks) as the branch thickens to prevent cutting into the bark and causing scars. While Ficus benjamina bark can heal wire scars, deep indentations may persist; remove wire promptly.
Defoliation, the selective or complete removal of leaves, is an advanced technique for smaller leaf size and denser branching, especially on Ficus benjamina. For Bella Bonsai, partial defoliation is safer than complete defoliation, as full defoliation can lead to branch dieback or unpredictable budding. When defoliating, cut each leaf individually, leaving the petiole (leaf stem) intact to protect latent buds. Perform this technique during the peak growing season (typically summer) when the tree has ample energy for new growth.
Repotting and Root Management
Repotting promotes healthy growth and prevents root-bound conditions for Bella Bonsai. Younger trees (up to 5-7 years old) require repotting every one to two years. More mature trees can be repotted less frequently, every two to three years. Indications for repotting include roots circling the pot, emerging from drainage holes, or a general decline in vigor.
Repot Bella Bonsai in early spring before new growth, or in mid-summer. Carefully remove the tree, gently loosening old soil from the root ball with a chopstick or root hook. Prune away thick, circling, or damaged roots, removing 20-30% of the root mass to encourage new, finer feeder roots. Repot into the same or a slightly larger pot with fresh, well-draining bonsai soil, ensuring no air pockets.
After repotting, water thoroughly to settle the new soil. Place the Bella Bonsai in a shaded or semi-shaded location for several weeks to recover. Protect it from strong winds and extreme temperatures. Withhold fertilization until new growth appears, signaling establishment.